The Town of Islip’s Zoning Board of Appeals is set to take up a closely watched land-use fight tonight in Bay Shore: whether a proposed Islamic boarding school can operate at the former Montfort Seminary property on South Saxon Avenue. At issue is a technical but consequential question of zoning law over whether “boarding” counts as a permitted accessory use to a parochial school in a residential district. Neighbors argue the size of the project would alter the feel of a quiet block, and the board’s call will decide whether the new owner can house students in on-site dorms or must seek additional permits and reviews.
Board to weigh zoning interpretation
As laid out in the Town of Islip Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, the board is scheduled tonight, Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to consider a request for an interpretation “as to whether boarding constitutes a permitted accessory use to a parochial school” on the west side of South Saxon Avenue. The item is listed for 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall West, 401 Main Street in Islip, and is identified by docket reference and tax map, putting the question squarely on the public agenda.
Buyer and the plan
The United American Muslim Association says it has a deal in place to buy the roughly 13-acre South Saxon Avenue campus and wants to turn it into a full-time Islamic boarding school with early-childhood education and community programming, according to News 12 Bronx. The group told News 12 Bronx it views the grounds as including a 73,000-square-foot facility and plans to begin renovations once the sale closes. An Islip spokesperson told News 12 Bronx, “It is the Town's policy not to comment on pending land use applications.”
Neighbors mobilize
A neighborhood group calling itself “Saxon Says No” has planted lawn signs around the property and is pushing residents to show up at tonight’s hearing. An online event listing for the group urges people to arrive early and lays out questions about the review process and the pending sale. Members have also been quoted raising zoning concerns. In a statement cited by News 12 Bronx, the group wrote, “The proposed use by the new property owner is far more intensive than what is appropriate for a quiet residential neighborhood.” The organizers’ meet-up details are posted on Partiful.
Records and the campus
Public property records and commercial market databases list the site at 26 South Saxon Avenue as roughly 13.59 acres and link it to a parcel identifier used in town filings. One online property report shows a building footprint of about 8,776 square feet for that parcel, a figure that is smaller than the overall campus square footage described by the buyer. Those numbers appear in property data aggregators and local tax records.
A long local history
The campus previously housed Montfort Seminary, a Catholic boarding school that later operated as a retreat center for priests. Local archival materials place the seminary at 26 South Saxon Avenue and note that the boarding program wound down in the early 1970s. That institutional history helps explain why the property continues to attract institutional buyers and why nearby residents are zeroed in on any shifts in how it is used.
Why zoning matters
The core question is whether the Zoning Board’s reading of town code will treat dormitory boarding as an as-of-right accessory use to a parochial school, or instead require special permits and further public review. Neighbors warn that a broad, as-of-right interpretation could set a precedent for how similar institutional parcels are handled across Islip. Supporters counter that the proposed use is in line with the property’s long-standing institutional character.
What to watch
Tonight’s hearing will include public comment, and the board can either reserve decision or issue an interpretation after the meeting. Zoning questions of this sort often go back for additional board deliberation. Residents who want to track what happens next can check the town’s meetings page for documents and livestream information linked to the ZBA agenda.
